This is Jennifer Gonzalez, welcoming you to episode 243 of the Cult of Pedagogy podcast.

In this episode, we're going to talk about a few small changes that will make your classroom more

neurodiversity affirming.

Over the last 10 years or so, the word neurodivergent has become a more common part of our everyday language.

And while not everyone agrees on an exact definition of this umbrella term, it's frequently used to describe people who are on the autism spectrum, people with learning disabilities, and people with attention differences like ADD and ADHD, among others.

As our understanding of the human mind gets more sophisticated and nuanced, we're learning

how to identify neurodivergence, how to appreciate it, and how to help those who fit under

that umbrella

navigate the world better. One place where that process has been happening quite a lot is in

schools. We've definitely made progress with neurodivergent students. But the progress has been

spotty, and it's also framed our population in a sort of binary way, with neurodivergent students on one side and everyone else on the other.

The adjustments made in schools are often treated as special accommodations made for a special few.

But one of the things we're learning about neurodivergence is that it's not necessarily an either or.

It's not that you're either 100% neurodivergent is that it's not necessarily an either or. It's not that you're either 100%

neurodivergent or you have a standard issue normal brain. The way our brains are wired puts all of us

somewhere on a spectrum or a few spectrums really with each individual person having their own

unique wiring.

And that's why the title of this episode uses the term neurodiversity instead of neurodivergent.

This shift in language acknowledges that everyone's brain is different, and if we set up our schools in a way that makes room for many variations, we'll all be better off.

My guests today are going to help us learn some simple ways we can create those schools.

Amanda Morin is a neurodivergent neurodiversity activist, author, early childhood specialist, and speaker.

Emily Kircher-Morris is a mental health professional, neurodiversity advocate, author, and host of the Neurodiversity Podcast, which as a podcast listener, you should definitely check out.

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